Depo-Provera side affects

[andreaR]

I was given a shot of depo-provera yesterday...and when I asked about side affects all I was told was nausea, headache, and dizziness.  After reading quite a few articles online, it seems there are a lot more serious side affects than I was led to believe.  I've been having lots of chest pain and shortness of breath, but the doctor doesn't seem to think it's related to the shot.  I need advice on what some of the most common side affects are, and if there is possibly any way to get this medication out of my system as quickly as possible.  I am concerned about weight gain as well, and was wondering how soon it became noticeable, and if there was a significant amount in the first three months.

[kimmie_n_angus]

i was on depo for 7 yrs. here's what my side effects were and still are 18 mos after my last shot.

no periods

gained 70 lbs in 5 yrs...was 106 when first started it finally back to 125

lost sex drive

vaginal dryness

developed psyciatric mood disorder...now undiagnosed and med free since off depo

depression

irritablity

loss of concentration, interest in life in general

fatigue

2 miscarriages on depo..a set of twins @ 13 weeks and single @ 9 weeks

post-depo:

no period for 9 mos

then period with heavy bleed every 2 weeks for 6 mos

infertile for 18 mos

2 confirmed miscarriages at 5 weeks

progesterone defficient

luteal phase defect that untreated leads to miscarriage

so there is what the future holds on depo. once you have taken the shot it takes 12-18 mos to leave your body when you stop. there is no reversal to it!!! you will have to wait and see what happens and the chest pain and shortness of breath is a common side effect and i recommend if it gets worse go to the ER. DON"T GET ANOTHER SHOT...you will regret it later down the road. good luck and i hope everything turns out good.

love....kimmie

[lisapep]

I did 1 round of depo and was very moody this was in aug of 1997.  decided this was not for me .. I got very bloated gained weight.  Then instead of going on the shot again decided on the pill.  However I bled for 1 month stratight (while taking the pill) then like a turning off a light switch it was gone. for 7 months.  the drs. had to give me Provera to induce my periods.  Then we got married and decided to get pregnant.  I took 4 years of infertility drugs and IUIS to have our DS. So i am not too sure if the depo gave me luteal phase defect (that is why i could not conceive) but I sure am not going back on it.  I hope you feel better.

I might add thoguh my sister in law.. took it for years got off when they wanted to start trying and got pregnant the following month. Is back on it now and has not had a single problem.  No weight gain or anything.  She is weird though... but she has ALWAYS been weird so I know that is not the Depos fault :-)

God Bless and take care keep us posted
lisa

[troid]

the only side effect i had was the weight gain. i was on it for 4 years. i didnt start ttc for 1 year after i stopped it, and got pg right away, so i dont know if i would have had any troubles if i started trying earlier.was this a spur of the moment thing,or what, didnt you do any research on it at all? you will just have to ride it out, and maybe start the pill in 3 months.

[Stacie30]

ok- don't get scared by kimmie's post. not everyone has serious long lasting side effects from it but some women swear they do. i know i had serious trouble conceiving after I went off of it but other than that I had no side effects. I have a friend who got preg when she missed the shot by a week... here is a website I found that has some pretty good information about depo on it so you can make an informed decision as to whether or not to continue with it.

http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/dep1126.htm

don't get mad at me kimmie- you know I love yah! :)

[concerndmother]

well i was on depo for 9 months and that is 3 shots and from my expirence i had some side affects. depression weight gain of 105 pounds (i was 145pounds when started the shots, still over 200 pounds, but loosing slowly)i had panic attacks (high anxiety) and had to be medicated. i started the shot in nov. of 98 two weeks after my son was born and i bled from nov 3rd 98 untill my second shot in in feb of 99 and it was heavy, cloty nasty. i stopped the shot after my 3rd in may and only bled for one day (spotting) i went on the pill in sept. so not to get pg, then we decided to have another child and i conncieved in october of 2000. so im not sure if i had  sterile problems after the shot because like i said i took the pill for a while. today i  have verly slight anxiety problems (no meds needed) no depression and my weight is pver 200 pounds but i am dieting since yesterday ( to get healthy.. im at high risk for diabetes.) so this is my story i hope it does not scare you , just wait out the shot and my advice dDO NOT GET ANOTHER ONE there has to be something else out on the market tht you can take to help protect you. take care and god bless. Stacie in Maine

[Learner1]

I heard they are showing in some cases that depo is causing bone loss if used for more then a year.  Also the patch may be causing serious clots in young women.  I use the nuva ring & wouldnt change it for anything!

[No Provera]

Hi andreaR -

I was 26 went I went on Depo and I just turned 38.  If you search 'depo' in this forum, you'll see my list of side effects. My period stopped almost immediately after I started depo and I certainly didn't miss it. ;) BUT, it has vastly altered many aspects of my health and if you were a friend or relative, I would STRONGLY suggest that you NOT take the chance that it does to you what it has done to me and to so many other women, many of whom have experienced side effects after the very first shot.  

My husband is the greatest person in the world and he loves me with all of his heart, but when I'm having a bad depo depression day or mood, there is nothing that he can do right, I start to not trust him, and if the poor guy tries to press me for what is wrong (which, there isn't anything in particular, it's like a black cloud surrounds me), then I turn on him, cause a nasty fight, cry, get a migraine, end up shaking and sobbing. But then it passes.  It's awful. Afterwards, I am wracked with guilt for being such a mess and feeling like for screwing up his life by not being healthy.

When the side effects start making you hurt the people that you love more than anything and rob you of all of your energy, trust me, you start to really think about what the heck you've done and what you put in your body.

There just hasn't been enough long term study of DP to really know what it does - we women are complicated internally and I know firsthand that the side effects can sneak up on you and it's easy to shove them off and blame them on other things. Then if you look at the experiences of thousands of women, we can't all be lying or making up problems that are documented by our physicians.

Google "depo provera horror stories" and you can read as many as you like. Mine's in there too.

Please think about it. Remember that once upon a time, smoking was considered a healthy habit and never ever completely trust the printed insert in a medication. The bone density loss warning came out after 15 years of the drug's use - meanwhile, how many women have had SERIOUS problems (osteoperosis, etc.) as a result of this little issue undiscovered before tens of millions of women (many of them young) have used the drug?

I know that I can't tell you to simply not have sex (that wouldn't have worked for me as a young woman), but with all of the options out there, please think about other ones. This one is very risky.

Be healthy and be smart!

:)

[No Provera]

Oh - sorry - forgot to add that you also need to remember that what is distributed in the depo packaging and told to you by your Doctor is LEGALLY BINDING, so it's all very carefully worded and scrutinized by teams of lawyers.  Plus, the FDA has to have proof of both pros and cons before a drug is approved or an alert is sent out (like in the case of bone density loss).  Think of the billions of dollars in litigation that could ensue if a company admits a fault with it's drug (remember phen-phen, or more recently, Vioxx). It takes class action lawsuits and media attention to get action.

I swear I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I'm just asking that you thouroughly research any drug that you're going to use. If you want to look at more objective opinions, look at what's going on in Canada (where our FDA doesn't apply) - many groups think depo should be banned because of the side effects.

I'm just sayin' - be careful.

Take care,

N

[kimmie_n_angus]

Stacie hun...i am glad you had no side effects...i am not mad at all :) my cousin got PG after missing one shot. unfortunately more woman have lasting side effect than don't. every woman's body is different and the effects can be more or less severe. depo was first invented to chemically castrate sex offenders....i think that is what bothers me the most....and i wondered why i lost my sex drive. it was also use for chemotherapy for cancer patients....i had to wonder if that is why when i got PG on it i m/c'ed. my OB at the time said yes and depo was the cause of my m/c's.

for those woman out there who have had little to no side effects...man you are so lucky and i will drink out of your cup any day :) for woman thinking about taking it just know ALL your options and weigh out ALL the good and bad stories and medical info you hear to make the best choice for you.

love....kimmie

[Melissa25]

Hi my name is Melissa and I went on the depo about 2 1/2 yrs ago. When I first got the shot I heard stories about the side affects and thought people where just trying to find something to complain about, I loved being on the shot there was no period I didnt have to worry about taking the pill everyday etc....
Well now im starting to wonder if everything I heard is true. Ive been off the shot for 6mo now and I still havent had a period, does anyone know how long it will take? I have alot of back pain, headaches, severe moodiness, weight gain, and alot more things that I think have do to the shot now that I am reading all of this. What do I do, ride it out to see if this stuff goes away or should I see a doctor?

[IWantToBeAMom]

You will just have to wait and ride it out.  There's no medicine or shot to reverse Depo.  

It can take 18 months for your body to start cycling normally again.  

Also, Kimmy often has said that you have to lose all of the weight you gained while on Depo because Depo is stored in the fat you gained.  The sooner you lose the extra weight the sooner the Depo will be completely out of your system and the sooner your body can return to normal.

[Estee1]

Hi.  I'm new to this whole posting comments business.  I normally just read the postings, but don't add a comment or solicit help.  But, now, i have to, because I am desperate.

I took 3 shots of depo in 2003, and my then boyfriend, noticed an almost instant change in me.  My sex drive changed.  I cried frequently and my hair loss started.  Not to mention the weight gain.  I gain three pounds a month.  Which i guess isn't bad, but when u notice that it's a CONSISTANT pound a month, well....you learn to do that math.

So eventually I stoped taking depo and went on the pill.  Which was fine, but my hair was still falling out.

My now husband and I (the then boyfriend that was with me when i took the initial depo), agree to try the shot again.  This time, the same things happen....but sooner.  I am by nature a happy person and i love life, but the depo shots helps catapult me into a world of depression and lack of interest.  i used to love writing...now, i just don't bother anymore.  I used to love cooking....now i just don't bother anymore. I used to love hanging out with my girlfriends,....now, i just don't bother anymore.  That's what the shot makes me do....not bother.

I guess what i want to know, is, 1) is there a another medication i can take to combat this thing in my system? or to combat this depression i feel?

please help

[JoAnnaRF]

My 16 year old is convinced taht Depo is the answer for her. Her Gyno just raved about how she wouldn't have any periods and life would be great! I am sending this ENTIRE page to her so she can see the truth from the women that have already experienced what Depo has to offer. A BIG FAT PAIN IN THE BUTT as far as I can tell! Maybe she'll listen to you guys!
So Thanks for just telling your stories!
--J

[Estee1]

To: JoannaRF

I whole heartedly agree that the depo isn't for teenagers.  Teenagers go through so many ups and downs as it is.  Having something as powerful as Depo in a young woman's system, is just asking for problems.

I hope your daughter considers a safer method, although it my require more discipline, of birth control.

I wish you and your daughter the best!!!

[fragile]

I'm not one to post on sites or get involved in others businees, especially since everyone is different.  But now I'm "different" and I don't like it.  After my daughter was born in Dec. 2000, I got my first shot of depo in the hospital, along with an immediate perscription for an anti depressant, my ob/gyn said he couldn't risk it with potential post partum and the very common side effect of depression.  18 months later my wrist was broken, 6 weeks after that, my ankle fractured.  I constantly complained of back pain, only to be told that I was "to young" to worry about anything.  I am now 31.  I did get treated for arthritis until docs found out that all the tests in the world wouldn't prove I had something I didn't, there was no arthrits.  Along with my anti depressant I began taking clanopin for my "anger".  My work had a health fair, and I had a heel scan, which registered a 1.8 borderline osteo, but not totally reliable, I brought the results to my doc who laughed at me and said I was to young, the test was wrong, don't worry.  At my next depo appointment I asked to see my ob/gyn and I insisted on a bone scan.  I have osteoporosis, and I'm 31 w/no family history.  My ob/gyn said no more shots, no more birth control of any kind.  What people don't realize is that the kind of osteo caused by depo takes away bone MINERAL, and that can not be replaced.  I am on fosomax to slow down the loss, but it will not be replaced.  I can not carry my daughter.  I have to be careful of everything, one bad accident and god knows what would happen to me.  I also have been diagnosed with Lordis, a curve in the lower spine, caused by osteo, which explains my constant back pain that was previously laughed off.  My last shot was in July, no period yet, but no more anti depressants.  I gained 40 pounds over 4 years, but that is nothing compared to what I lost.  Even if I do become fertile again is not recommended that I carry another child.  Would I have gone and gotten those shots for 3 1/2 years had I have known? Of course not, but now people do know.  Don't knowingly risk giving up what I lost without a clue.  I have a lawyer, and pending lawsuit, but you can't buy back being a healthy mom, a good wife, or quality of life, I can't even think of a dollar amount.  I hate what I have become.

[susant_25]

i wanted to say thanks to everyone who's posted here. i happened to come across these comments thinking i may be the only one experiencing bad things from depo. i was told by someone to research depo now that it had been a while since its release and have been astonished to find so many people in my situation. today it has come to my attention that there are lawsuits against depo and not only that but there have been for quite some time all to my bewilderment! i sat at my desk at work and cried when i read the postings. my story begins in 1996 when i got on depo at the age of 16. i have had no periods, weight gain of about 40 lbs., depression and anxiety (which led to the break up of my relationship of three years-we were engaged to be married). i continued regularly with my shots (happy to get rid of the monthly mess!)from 1996 up until 2001(after 5 years of the shot). after much debate with family and friends i decided it may be good for my body to get back on track and normal with periods. so i stopped everything knowing i'd have to wait the "up to 18 months" for your body to get back to normal afterwards. well, when 18 months came and went, then 24 months came and went as well as 30 months, i decided to go back to the clinic (now 2003)to see if there was anything i could do. the clinic prescribed the pill in the hopes that that would make me menstruate and that after a few cycles of it, i could get off the pill and i would have a period normally (as if my body just needed a jump start after being turned off for 7 years now). i took the pill for about 5 months. having periods at the end of the pill pack like i should. i decided it was time to stop with all the hormones and see if i could have a period without the encouragement of any drugs. now in 2005 almost 2006 i'm still waiting. almost 10 years without a period.  i've been to a more acredited OB-GYN and i'm now going to be having 12 different tests done to see if there is anything that can be done. i was told i have an enlarged uterus and may not be able to have children without the use of fertility drugs. i think back to when i was 16 and was repulsed by the idea of having children and how i went on about the depo shot being my personal gift from the drug companies! i sang its praises to every female i know! now i regret not listening to my mother when she always said "anything that stops the normal functioning of the womans body like that cannot be healthy! just you wait a few years until they find out that that depo stuff does something horrible to you that you can't reverse!".
thank you all for making me feel like i'm not alone.

[mrc33]

i just had a baby 4-17-07 i got the depo shot 6-29-07 i've gained 10 ilbs and still gaining all i knew about the shot was weight gain but then my hair started to fall out not the usual breakage you're suppose to get but whole strands of hair:{ i'm really upset about this i need to know how much hair i'm going to lose. i hate to even comb my hair because so much of it is coming out in the brush and the comb it be all over my back all on the floor and this scares me i don't want to be bald and i'm not getting my 2nd shot in sept i'll find other means of bc but please someone tell me when will my hair stop falling out?

[Calhoun]

I started the depo when I was 17 and was on it for 3 1/2 years. I have been off of the depo for about six years. I experienced all of the crazy problems many of you did when I came off of the shot; serious depression and out right craziness. My periods are getting further and further apart now. Last month I was 13 days late. I am only 26 years old. The doctors just tested my blood for everything also. I have not gotten the result back yet, but one doctor is pretty sure I am not ovulating. Have any of you heard of any law suits going on that involve women who have stopped ovulating due to depo? Seems like there are quite a few posts that involve miscairages, late ovulation, and no ovualation which all could be linked to this shot.

[txcutie]

I've been on the shot for a little over a month. I've been having irregular periods mood swings. Crying over every little thing. stuff that i normally dont cry about. The shot makes you feel like your pregnant. If i knew the side effects were like this i would have never got on the shot. Its depressing and it makes you loose concentration and lack of interest. I know they say the shot is different for every female body type. but this is the worst i felt in a long time. And from what im reading from prior postings there are alot of women. who are going through the same stuff i'm going through. I would not recommend the shot to anyone.

[Gorgous]

What's up? I been on the depo shot since March 2007. I been having side effect like bloating,headaches,hair shredding,constantly eating all the time.I have gain a couple of pounds it looks good on me I'm not complaining but I don't want to gain to much weight.My breast has gotten bigger so i had to buy bigger blouses to wear also my butt has gotten a bigger so I had to buy bigger pants I had to give alot of clothes away.I probably stay on the shot no more than two years in that's it.Like the doctors recommend me to no longer so by bones want get brittle so I will be healthy with no health problems.Wants you start taking medications your body has to have it just like a drugs if you get off if you will suffer.I probably get back on the pills, I was on the pills for 13 years I got tired of taking them. Just wanted to try something different have to worry about ift everyday.I didn't have to many side effects on the pills.I think the pills are the best birth control method if you ask me.  

[ashalley]

I am now 23 years old. I started the depo when I was 15yrs old and now that I'm getting older, about to get graduate and ready to start my life and career, i'm beginning to wonder if it was a mistake. Yeah, when all the other girls were crying about the pain of their periods of course it was nice to sit back and not worry about it. I didn't have to worry in summer when I wanted to swim, about being embaressed about leaking. I didn't have to worry about the pain of cramps or any of that gross stuff that companies periods. The funny thing is, now that I'm getting older I don't think it's embaressing and I want my period back. All of my friends are getting married, having babies and talking about late periods and pregnancy. I can't. I have been off the shot for 2 years and still haven't had a cycle. I have been having unprotected sex with my husband for 3 years now and still have not even come close to conception. My horomone levels are all jacked up. When I was on the shot, I gained a ton of weight, felt miserable, bloated all the time, didn't care about anyone or myself anymore, loss of energy and sex drive. I just didn't care. But hey, I was period free. I think to myself, was it really worth it? Women are supposed to have a period. End of story. I regret getting on the shot and wish I would have known more about the side effects of it before I had gotten on it. I would recommend to any young person who just wants to get on it so they can have sex and be period free, to really think about it, because one day your maternal clock will start tickin and by then it will be too late.

[liverma]

Does anyone know these correct medical facts?

How frequent should you have a bone density test while on the depo?

I was on the depo for 10 years, age 35 - 45 and had only one bone scan after 1 year of being on the treatment. I know about the bone loss issue and just fired my gyno, because I felt betrayed by not have more bone density tests while her nurse told me I should have one every two years.   Please comment!!!

[youngpoet1972]

I am desperate. I've only been on the depo shot for a year but then I started having trouble with frequent urination and urgencies. Now, these don't sound like it could be tied in with the depo but that's when it started. 8 months into my depo shot and I never had this problem before. I've been to different doctors. I am now currently seeing a urologist and he said that I have an elarged bladder. I never had that problem either. I finally got off the depo shot last October but I have got to know, could this be tied into my depo shots? Could that be what caused all of this?

[Candius]

I am looking for answers. I'm tired of getting the run around and I'm tired of going through what i went through in the last year. I am a 25 year old mom of one. I had my daughter n '07 and six weeks after i took the shot. I got it not knowing the side affects will affect me in the long run as well as my child. On the shot i didn't gain weight and i didn't have a period. In the last year i've suffered alot and lost alot. I went from working 2 jobs, having my own place, being independent, my own car, and being a full time student as well as a full time single strong black mom! Little did i know that it was go be in the past due to the shot. Yes, i'm mad cuz i lost it all! Now i have  to depend on everyone and every thing to raise my daughter which is 4 and is in kindergarten. I found out that i have osteoporosis. I cant work cuz my back is in constant pain. Cant stand on my feet long or even sit down long. I dont know what else to do1 Ive tried everything such as disability. They told me to get something with my hands but how when i cnt sit dwn 4 a lng time. On top of that i havent picked up my child in a year and thats whats killing me the most. Im depressed and stressed. My thoughts is that the shot is the worst thing for birth control.My advice to all PLEASE AVOID THE SHOT!!!!!!!

[pj05]

hi new at this i was on depo for 5 yrs, started to take it after the birth of ma daughter. me and ma husband decided ttc 4 years ago i now have just had my 12th mc and i thiknk it has to with been on depo for so long.
what do use think